Combined water-pillow and douche



{No Model.)

A A. STOLL' COMBINED WATER PILLOW AND DOUGHE.

No. 587,767. Patented Aug. 10,1897.

WiiflSSS. Inuenior 9 9 I Wasm Z'M/0 %W- MWM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT A. STOLL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

COMBINED WATER-PILLOW AND D OUCHE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 587,767, dated August10, 1897.

Application filed June 22, 1896. Serial No. 596,529. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. STOLL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented a certain new and useful Combined Pillow,Cushion, and Bathing Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined water pillow, cushion, an d bathingdevice; and the object of my invention is to provide a device moreconvenient than those at present in use for applying heat or cold to thehead and which will also be very advantageous in the treatment of thelower parts of the body by bathing, steaming, or medicating.

My invention therefore consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully specified, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing theupper side of the pillow or cushion. Fig. 2 is a view of the under sidethereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a head-rest and sprayingdeviceto be inserted in the central aperture, and Figs. 4 and 5 aresimilar views of other forms of such spraying devices.

1 represents the body of the water pillow or cushion, the same beingrectangular in shape and having a central aperture 2 and connections atthe corners with pipes 3. The under side of the cushion is provided withgrooves 4:, leading from the corners to the central aperture 2, in whichgrooves are adapted to be placed the pipes 3, so that their dischargeends can be brought to the central aperture and there connected to anysuitable spraying device, such as those illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and5.

In addition the under surface of the cushion is provided with grooves 5,leading to the central aperture from the middle of the longer sides ofthe cushion. The cushion is also provided with eyes 6 atthe sides, bymeans of which it may be suspended from ropes to form a seat in themanner of a swing.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are shown various spraying devices that may beinserted'in the central aperture for the purpose of applying heat orcold or desired medications to the parts to be treated. Thus in. Fig. 3is shown adevice 7 of this character having the body somewhat urn-shapedand the upper surface concaved, as at 8, to form a rest for the part tobe treated and provided with a number of perforations 9 therein for thedischarge of the hot or cold water or of the medicament to be applied.Fig. 4 shows a device 10 somewhat different in shape from that shown inFig. 3 and having a single discharge-opening 11, while Fig. 5 shows adouche or sprayer 12 of the craneneck form.

The device is by its novel construction found to be of great utility asa pillow and bathing device for the head. Thus in casev of a cut, wound,or sore on the head the head can be placed upon the pillow previouslyfilled with hot water or medicated liquid, with the wound or part to betreated on the aperture in the pillow, and a steady stream of the hotwater or medicament can be applied to wash the wounded or sore portion,and this notwithstanding that the patient is compelled to take arecumbent position either from weakness or through an accident.

The device is of great benefit in the treatment of diseases of therectum or adjacent parts. For this purpose it is preferred to employ achair with an aperture to correspond with the aperture in the cushion,so that the water or other liquid discharged upon the parts can run intoa suitable vessel or receptacle under the chair.

The advantage derived from the use of the device instead of the ordinaryhand-syringe is that the stream of fluid thereby discharged is smoothand steady without the jerking intermittent action of the hand-syringe,which is so irritating to the patient. Moreover, the force of thedischarge in my device being derived from the pressure due to the weightof the patient sitting upon the cushion, the device can be readily andadvantageously used by persons too weakor from other causes unable tooperate the hand-syringe with sufficient strength to produce an adequatedischarge. 1 a

The advantage over the fountain-syringe commonly used is that muchgreater force can be obtained. This is of great importance in many casesas, for instance, when it is 2 p r 587,767 g i desired to wash ormedicate the larger intestines. With the ordinary fountain-syringe thiscannot be accomplished, as a fountainsyringe does not supply sufficientforce to reach these parts. With my improved device, however, muchgreater force can be applied and in a most convenient manner.

An important advantage derived from the use of the device is that inapplying heat or cold to any particular part to be treated the heat orcold of the cushion may also be utilized for the adjacent parts. This isespecially valuable, for instance, in the treatment of femalecomplaints, as for difiicult menstruation, &c.

In certain cases it may be desired to apply heat to the immediate partsto be treated and at the same time cold to the surrounding parts, orvice versa. For this purpose the grooves 5 are provided in the undersurface of the cushion, leading from the sides to the central aperture,andin either of said grooves may be placed discharge-tubes fordischarging upon the part to be treated liquids of the desiredtemperature, 01', again, both of the grooves may be used, one fordischarging hot and one for cold water, so that hot and coldapplications maybe made alternately at frequent intervals to theimmediate part, while at the same. time the surrounding parts may bekept warm by the warm water in the cushion.

said aperture and being there provided with Having thus fully describedmy invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isp 1. In a device of the character described, I an aperture'd or annularinflatable pillo w or cushion, and a discharge-tube from said pillow orcushion, the discharge end of said tube reaching into said aperture andbeing to: attached to a spraying device provided with abase forsupporting the same so as to stand in said aperture and dischargeupwardly therethrough, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, 45; an apertured or annularinflatable pillow or cushion, and a discharge-tube extending from; theperiphery of said pillow or cushion into a base-for supportingthe sameso as to stand 50 in. said aperture and discharge upwardly therethrough,said pillow having a groove on its under side of sufiicient size toreceive said tube and permit the liquid to flow freely therethrough whensaid pillow or cushion is 55 pressed upon its support, as when in use,sub- 3 stantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT A. STOLL.

Witnesses:

WM. J. HALEY, ANTON KUTZLEB.

